1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for recording and reproducing video and sound for providing a "time-shift reproduction" function and a "time-shift fast-forward reproduction" function.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the popularization of satellite broadcasting, CATVs and the like has caused a considerable increase in the number of broadcasting channels. As a result, very frequently TV audiences want to watch several TV programs broadcasted in the same time period. Moreover, home-use video apparatuses have also been popularized. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a method for utilizing such apparatuses more efficiently.
FIG. 16 shows an exemplary conventional apparatus for recording and reproducing video and sound, in which a TV set is connected with a video cassette recorder (VCR).
Hereinafter, the respective components shown in FIG. 16 will be described.
Broadcast receiving sections 1 and 2 receive a broadcast. Typically, the broadcast receiving section 1 is a tuner incorporated into a TV set, and the broadcast receiving section 2 is a tuner incorporated into a VCR.
A video/sound recording section 3 converts the video and the sound output from the broadcast receiving section 2 into a recording signal so as to record the recording signal on a magnetic tape. The magnetic tape is driven by a magnetic tape driving section 4.
A video/sound reproducing section 5 converts the recording signal recorded on the magnetic tape, thereby reproducing the video and the sound. The video and the sound reproduced by the video/sound reproducing section 5 are supplied to a selective output section 6.
The selective output section 6 selectively outputs one of the output from the broadcast receiving section 1 and the output from the video/sound reproducing section 5. The selection in the selective output section 6 is manually determined by a user.
A video display section 7 displays the video selected by the selective output section 6. A sound output section 8 outputs the sound selected by the selective output section 6.
However, in order to reproduce a program now being recorded, a conventional apparatus having the above-described configuration is required to suspend the recording operation once, rewind the magnetic tape and then start the reproducing operation. Therefore, such an apparatus has the following problems.
(1) During recording of a program which is now being broadcasted, it is impossible to reproduce the program from the beginning while continuing recording of the program.
(2) In the case where watching and listening of a program now being broadcasted must be suspended, it is impossible to reproduce the program from the point at which watching and listening of the program was suspended while continuing recording of the program.
(3) In the case where watching and listening of a program now being broadcasted must be suspended, it is impossible to fast-forward reproduce the program from the point at which watching and listening of the program was suspended while continuing recording of the program.
In addition, it is impossible for a conventional apparatus to simultaneously record a plurality of programs on one and the same magnetic tape. Therefore, in order to simultaneously record a plurality of programs, it has been necessary to provide the same number of recording and reproducing apparatuses as the number of programs.